Rosemary and Time

James Bow ran an election pool during the last federal election, and by some miracle combination of good luck, good scotch and total fluke, I placed in the top three.  The prize for the contest was a copy of The Young City, the latest of his Unwritten Books.

I had a chance to read The Young City while waiting out the rain at Arrowhead last week.  The book is called a "young adult" novel, and I suppose that's a accurate description.  I certainly enjoyed reading it, though, and I no longer qualify to be called a young anything...

The story takes place in Toronto, in the present and in 1884, as the young heroes are mysteriously sent back in time to a much younger city.  The pace of the novel is quick, and the characters are well formed.  The only thing I found myself wanting more of was an edge.  The concept and story are strong, but if this were a novel aimed at a more adult audience, I think a little more weight would have been fitting.  Not that I'm complaining - as a book for young adults, this hits the mark.

 

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